It's that time again! No, not Howdy Doody Time - it's time for more vintage Frontierland photos, from the MYSTERIOUS BENEFACTOR. All of these are dated "February 1967".
Some lucky photographer was allowed to sneak around the Friendly Indian Village and snap a few photos that mere mortals would never be able to take. Was the photographer dressed like an animatronic Native American? Or was he wearing a Hawaiian shirt, tan slacks, and brown loafers?
In any case, he was able to take this unusual view standing behind the young Indian boy and his faithful pooch as they both look at the river. A canoe passes by, close to Tom Sawyer Island.. it sure looks like some of the passengers are noticing the photographer's Hawaiian shirt.
I'm not sure I ever realized that the boy is holding a bow and arrow.
Same day (presumably), different angle... and there goes the Columbia. The Indian boy is not impressed. This is another neat view of the river that most people would never see.
How about a third view from inside the Indian Village? I'll do it, just for you, but don't tell anyone. Now we're back among the cluster of teepees, while peaceful Native Americans grind corn and... well, I'm not exactly sure what those two fellows are up to. Stretching skin over a small framework of some kind.
And finally (for today), yet another shot of the Columbia. There are LOTS of shots of the Columbia in this bunch! But the sails are unfurled, the sky is blue, and everything looks pretty darn swell.
Major-
ReplyDeleteOnce again - some wonderful images from some very unusual angles.
I too, hadn't realized our young Indian friend was holding a bow and arrow. I always thought it was a divining rod, or perhaps a Hula Hoop.
Thanks M & the MB.
In that last photo, it almost looks as though the Columbia is listing. It's probably just an illusion, created by the cockeyed angle of the sail on that TSI raft.
ReplyDeleteYou never noticed the bow and arrow before because Shiny Boy is hiding them behind his back. If he can't see them, neither can you.
ReplyDeleteThose fellows in the third photo are building a model of the Unisphere.
At first I thought that last photo was reversed, because we all know that the Columbia doesn't circle Tom Sawyer Island counterclockwise, but then I noticed the lantern at the extreme left of the photo that marks the right side of the drydock at Fowler's Harbor. This was taken off the extreme southern tip of TSI looking N-NE. I had forgotten the River makes a slight jog to the left there.
Great photos from a different perspective. I always wanted to poke around the village as a kid, but of course us mortals were not allowed. Love the Columbia pictures, it's always the Mark Twain that gets the most photos. A great look at a fun filled day on the river. Thanks Major.
ReplyDeleteI'll second and third my appreciation for the unusual angles. It looks like the guys in the third picture are putting the finishing touches on a travois.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the sharp eyes to figure out the angle for the shot that I, too, thought may have been flopped. Thanks to the Major and the MysBen for the pictures and the work.
Whoa, Mr. Mysterious comes through with the goods. It's clear he has infiltrated the Indian village.
ReplyDeleteWhat great pictures of Shiny Boy and his faithful dog, these are perfect pendants to the usual views from the water angles that we see regularly.
Agree with Patrick, the workers are strapping up their travois for a cross-country journey. Hopefully they are equipped with an eight-track stereo for thosse long hours on the prairie.
Agreeing with Jonathan here, I always wanted to visit the village, these pictures are the next best thing.
I was always irritated that the unfriendly indian village was on the island near the fort, where we could go, and the friendly indians were across the river out of reach.
Even more irritating was the chain link fence barely visible down the slope from the settler's cemetery behind the fort with signs warning us out of hostile territory.
Of course, we were intended to visit the village and the dance circle where Bear (Critter) Country is now, but it's always more fun to want what you can't have.
Thank you Major.
JG
Oh my stars! What great photos today!!! Agree with everyone's comments before mine. The Columbia was my favorite attraction to operate. The summer of 1987 was truly magical for me in many ways.
ReplyDeleteThe second photo of the Indian boy (with the strange angle) appears to be missing a very important monument... or it is washed out by the sun. Cascade Peak is missing (DUN-DUN-DUUUUUN)!!!!!
Also, for those "Nautical Know It Alls" You will see a fine example of the Spanker sail. This sail is located on the Mizzenmast (the aftmost mast) holding the American flag directly over the Captain. a Sheet is the lower corner of a sail. We would sometimes say raise the sheets and spanker. Enough said.
Always your pal,
Amazon Belle
Now you've seen it... the back side of a friendly Indian.
ReplyDeleteSome fine rarities---before today's photos, the only picture I'd seen taken from the Indian Village was in the October 1962 issue of National Geographic, part of an article on Los Angeles in all its space-age glory. The Indians working on the travois frame are so close you can see their hands are hinged, so there was probably some animation involved.
ReplyDeleteNanook, has the Indian boy survived the recent river changes? If so they need to make him hula-hooping.
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!, I thought the same thing, the ship looks like it is not absolutely upright. I believe that the photo isn’t perfectly horizontal, though it’s hard to tell for sure.
Chuck, the bow and arrow are behind his back, but surely they would still be partially visible. He’s not 4 feet wide. As for the river’s jog to the left, I was not aware of it until looking at Matterhorn1959’s blog years ago.
Jonathan, I’m glad you love the Columbia, but these photos might eventually test that love… there are SO MANY PHOTOS of it. I may have to post many at once so as not to become too overwhelming.
Patrick Devlin, oh man, my brain somehow conveniently (or inconveniently) edited out those two long poles! Holy moly.
JG, I’ve always like the Shiny Boy because he’s doing just what any kid his age would do - not help with the chores and watch the strange, large boat pass by. Wait, there was an unfriendly Indian village?? And I have never noticed the chain link fence - in fact, I had always kind of wondered how they had kept guests from wandering into parts of the island that were off-limits.
Matthew, it is possible that these were mis-dated (not by me!), though what we see in the distance is part of Tom Sawyer Island (notice Castle Rock); perhaps Cascade Peak would have still loomed above it all? Don’t tell me a CM working on the Columbia learned about actual rigging! If so, pretty impressive.
Melissa, it’s something we didn’t want, but now we have it.
Stefano, on YouTube you can watch Tony Curtis run through the Indian Village (among other things) in scenes from “40 Pounds of Trouble”. I used to have that great issue of NatGeo, but it seems to have vanished from my book case. My grandmother had issues going back to the 1920’s in her attic, it was fun to go up there, turn on the little lamp, and thumb through them.
Hi Major! I do believe that photo may be mis-dated. Castle Rock is in the right position. Cascade Peak should be opposite shore (left side) of river... from this angle Cascade Peak should be seen through the rigging even to the right side of the bow (water falling directly into the Rivers of America) and you can see there is NOTHING there. I would place a VERY strong bet on this one image being mis-dated indeed.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, we had to know a lot about the sails, rigging, Ships's bell duty periods, bosun's whistle, and history of the proud and mighty Columbia Rediviva!
Always your pal,
Amazon Belle
Major and Matthew - In the future, forensic software should be able to automatically and accurately compute the photo's date based on the foliage growth of other concretely dated photographs.
ReplyDeleteMajor, Shiny Boy was using little kid logic. And since I'd never noticed the bow & arrow before, either, I can't say his ruse was completely ineffective.
ReplyDelete